The calcium/calcineurin-dependent NFAT family is thought to have arisen following the recombination of an ancient precursor with a Rel domain about 500 million years ago, producing a new group of signaling and transcription factors (the NFAT genes) found only in the genomes of vertebrates. The family of NFAT transcription factor consists of five members NFAT1, NFAT2, NFAT3, NFAT4 and NFAT5. The NFAT proteins are activated by an increase in intracellular calcium levels, e.g., by means of store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) into a cell (see FIG. 1).